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On a recent trip to the EA Mythic studios in Fairfax, VA. MMORPG.com Managing Editor Jon Wood spoke with Paul Barnett and Josh Drescher about the state of the game since our last report, beta and building a living world.

When we first arrived at the EA Mythic studios last week, those members of the media who were in attendance sat down with Josh Drescher and Paul Barnett to get an update on how the game had progressed since the last time that we had talked about Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. This was only one of the many presentations that we had, and we will be bringing you reports from those specific area presentations over the next week.

“Now that people are running around,” Paul said, “we’re making a game.” What he meant by that was that planning and designing the game are one thing, but it isn’t until you have actual players responding to (and breaking) the systems in place that the real work of making something for others to enjoy begins. He looks at beta as a chance to try things out and as such, they are currently in the process of seeing what works and what doesn’t for the game.

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I have to say I admire EAMythic for taking this approach with their beta testing. At least it shows they are serious about producing a good product for release.

Its been my opinion for some time now...(been a closed beta tester a few times thru the years) that..instead of letting players run wild through the beta test, we should actually be doing some good..so that the game DOES succeed.

Open beta is for showcasing..to prospective gamers. Least that seems to be what happens.

But closed beta is where the serious work takes place, and having all those volunteers focussed in the areas that are important or need testing..is a wonderful idea..glad to see a game company making their money count in the right places.

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Paul is good with metaphor and simile, so I have one for him:

Warhammer Online is like the hottest chick you could ever imagine....she is the girl that you lay awake at night thinking about....she's the girl that when you do fall asleep fills your dreams with such lust and excitement that you wake up out of breath, panting, wanting nothing and no one but her. Warhammer Online is that girl....and now she has called you from her car and told you she is on the way over and she is going to give you the greatest sex of your life.....the sex will be so good you will need intravenous fluids to keep you going....your bed will have to be reinforced with steel gurders, your couch and rug had better have scotchguard. And when she gets there......4 hours late......she strips off her clothes and sits next to you on the couch and rubs your leg for six hours, and every time you tried to make a move she tells you she is saving herself for marriage.

Warhammer Online is that girl. At first when she calls, you're like...yeah I'm gonna get some! An hour into the leg rubbing your still convinced, but there is this nawing feeling in the back of your head like...why isn't this going anywhere yet. Two hours later, you're thinking, atleast I saw her naked. A couple hours after that, you're getting sick and tired of hearing her talk about school and work, and how one of her friends hit on a friend of a friends girlfriend. When she finally leaves, you are relieved. The pain is unbearable. You can barely walk her to the door, where you try to kiss her but she says not on the first date and tousles your hair playfully. She tells you she will see you in six months....and then you will really, really have a great time. Warhammer Online is that girl.

She is the girl that makes you think about calling the girls that live next door. One is AOC. She looks mannish and that adam's apple has you worried, but you are desperate. Or there is the other girl, LOTRO that has a pretty face but is only 18....a little young, but she seems like she's growing into a beautiful woman if you give her time. Hmmm......time to call LOTRO girl.

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Originally posted by Terranah

Paul is good with metaphor and simile, so I have one for him:

Warhammer Online is like the hottest chick you could ever imagine....she is the girl that you lay awake at night thinking about....she's the girl that when you do fall asleep fills your dreams with such lust and excitement that you wake up out of breath, panting, wanting nothing and no one but her. Warhammer Online is that girl....and now she has called you from her car and told you she is on the way over and she is going to give you the greatest sex of your life.....the sex will be so good you will need intravenous fluids to keep you going....your bed will have to be reinforced with steel gurders, your couch and rug had better have scotchguard. And when she gets there......4 hours late......she strips off her clothes and sits next to you on the couch and rubs your leg for six hours, and every time you tried to make a move she tells you she is saving herself for marriage.

Warhammer Online is that girl. At first when she calls, you're like...yeah I'm gonna get some! An hour into the leg rubbing your still convinced, but there is this nawing feeling in the back of your head like...why isn't this going anywhere yet. Two hours later, you're thinking, atleast I saw her naked. A couple hours after that, you're getting sick and tired of hearing her talk about school and work, and how one of her friends hit on a friend of a friends girlfriend. When she finally leaves, you are relieved. The pain is unbearable. You can barely walk her to the door, where you try to kiss her but she says not on the first date and tousles your hair playfully. She tells you she will see you in six months....and then you will really, really have a great time. Warhammer Online is that girl.

She is the girl that makes you think about calling the girls that live next door. One is AOC. She looks mannish and that adam's apple has you worried, but you are desperate. Or there is the other girl, LOTRO that has a pretty face but is only 18....a little young, but she seems like she's growing into a beautiful woman if you give her time. Hmmm......time to call LOTRO girl.

I must say that is absolutely brillinat. That is one of my favorite posts now and its oh so true.

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I have to say I admire EAMythic for taking this approach with their beta testing. At least it shows they are serious about producing a good product for release.

Its been my opinion for some time now...(been a closed beta tester a few times thru the years) that..instead of letting players run wild through the beta test, we should actually be doing some good..so that the game DOES succeed.

Open beta is for showcasing..to prospective gamers. Least that seems to be what happens.

But closed beta is where the serious work takes place, and having all those volunteers focussed in the areas that are important or need testing..is a wonderful idea..glad to see a game company making their money count in the right places.

Kudos :)

Cend

Couldn't agree more with idea surrounding 'guided beta testing'. I think the feedback will be more valuable and easier to process and turn around into code/game changes. You've got specific teams getting feedback on areas that have been 'completed' so they can rework them or improve them as needed. And while that's happening, you've got other teams that are continuing on with their work prior to their 'time in the spotlight' where their work will be tested.

Open Beta is where they 'open the flood gates' and find out where the floods, leaks, and droughts will take place. Until then... carry on.

Yes, I'm disappointed by the delay. But, all in all, I think the game will be better when it launches. I think better = greater attention to input from the playerbase + fewer bugs + still some really great unknowns and surprises to be uncovered.

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Guided beta test phases definately seem to be alot better approach. By guiding them though you seem to accomplish things much faster and more efficiently than letting them run amok and hope they stumble upon something critical.

A lot of people trying to get into closed beta are usually trying to get in so they can just play the game. I remember during the Planetside it was utter chaos, but then again I don't have the best memory. I think a fair amount of people who are looking to "test" in closed beta are really looking for open beta where developers do most of their server stress tests and what not without too much constraint or actually needing to get as much feedback as with closed beta. If that even makes sense.

I will agree that Paul seems to use analogies a great deal, but that's probably because he's found it's the easiest way to get people to quickly grasp what he trying to say.

I liked the article but I have to disagree with Jon Wood when he says Mythic is trying to make Warhammer a 'living world' . It has exploding plungers and turns gankers into chickens, for pete's sake! How are these elements of a 'living' world?

And Warhammer is not a hot chick either. It's a game.

Games get delayed. Follow the development process in every other genre - FPS, RTS, RPG, 4X or any other acronym, and you'll see one constant element - delays. If you don't see delays then you'll usually see a game that puts schedule before quality and results in garbage.

Terranah's analogy is directed at the wrong thing. It's not the game that should be compared to a woman (hot or otherwise), it's the hype surrounding the game that actually fits his comparison.

If following the hype of a game during its development is too tiring or annoying for anyone, then don't follow the hype. To use another analogy, it's like TV. You don't have to watch. Turn it off, go outside and wait until the new season starts (or in this case, the retail release).

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The developers really seem like they care about this game, and EA/Mythic doesn't give the feeling they are just trying to push it out asap to make a few quick bucks. I think this game is going to be huge, and it is going to give the current MMOs a run for their money, and new MMOs something new to look up to.

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Originally posted by Terranah

Paul is good with metaphor and simile, so I have one for him:

Warhammer Online is like the hottest chick you could ever imagine....she is the girl that you lay awake at night thinking about....she's the girl that when you do fall asleep fills your dreams with such lust and excitement that you wake up out of breath, panting, wanting nothing and no one but her. Warhammer Online is that girl....and now she has called you from her car and told you she is on the way over and she is going to give you the greatest sex of your life.....the sex will be so good you will need intravenous fluids to keep you going....your bed will have to be reinforced with steel gurders, your couch and rug had better have scotchguard. And when she gets there......4 hours late......she strips off her clothes and sits next to you on the couch and rubs your leg for six hours, and every time you tried to make a move she tells you she is saving herself for marriage.

Warhammer Online is that girl. At first when she calls, you're like...yeah I'm gonna get some! An hour into the leg rubbing your still convinced, but there is this nawing feeling in the back of your head like...why isn't this going anywhere yet. Two hours later, you're thinking, atleast I saw her naked. A couple hours after that, you're getting sick and tired of hearing her talk about school and work, and how one of her friends hit on a friend of a friends girlfriend. When she finally leaves, you are relieved. The pain is unbearable. You can barely walk her to the door, where you try to kiss her but she says not on the first date and tousles your hair playfully. She tells you she will see you in six months....and then you will really, really have a great time. Warhammer Online is that girl.

She is the girl that makes you think about calling the girls that live next door. One is AOC. She looks mannish and that adam's apple has you worried, but you are desperate. Or there is the other girl, LOTRO that has a pretty face but is only 18....a little young, but she seems like she's growing into a beautiful woman if you give her time. Hmmm......time to call LOTRO girl.

Well since you really used that analogy, let me clear things up for you.

A girl that wont have sex until marriage. She obviously has her morals and wants it to be a special event not rushed because some guy can't use his hand. She sticks to her decision and everyone should be able to respect that.

The guy who tries to rush a girl into sex is a different thing especially if he thinks about calling the girl next door. Obviously this man is only out for one thing and that is a quick thrill. He isn't in Love and nor does he love the girl. This type of guy never had morals instilled in him or had them warped by 90's television which has 12 year olds dressing like sluts to be frank.

In conclusion. You really need to ask around about relationships. Sex is fine and all but having someone that really cares about you and I mean the real you not your wallet or good looks, is the greatest thing in the world. Those relationships last a long time and thats the relationship I want with WAR. I don't want to get the game and play it for 2 months and quit. I want to play the game and enjoy playing it.

So until WAR is ready I will be using my hand, I suggest you fix your self gratifying ways and do the same.

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Originally posted by solareus

Image means a lot. Google Warhammer Online e3 interviews, it is a trend for these guys to fake the the funk.

Ahh, they are just having fun though, ya know? Glasses aren't going to dictate how well the game does but I do understand that some people won't and don't view things the same way. It is just late where I am and I am sick so I took some cough medicine which makes me overly tired and cranky. I didn't mean my previous statement.
I apologize by the way ^^